Harrison Suspension

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the NFL is expected to hand down OLB James Harrison's suspension on Tuesday morning, for an illegal hit on Colt McCoy in last Thursday's win over Cleveland.
Harrison told reporters that he anticipated no suspension, but it's almost certainly coming. Schefter has reported that the league is weighing whether to suspend Harrison one or two games. We don't expect him to play in Week 15.


This is a bunch of Crap

 

I understand a fine, he did lead with the helmet, but a suspension would be an injustice. It's real easy to criticize when they show the replay over and over again in super slo-mo. But when you're out there playing at game speed and the player you hit is running and moving at a fast pace you can't always be precise about the hit. Fine him and teach him to tackle with his shoulder and not his head but he absolutely should not be suspended!

 

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The NFL isn't going to just continue to fine him when he fails to change the way he plays the game. I hate it as much as anyone else but facts are facts. The game has changed so players have 2 choices - adapt or don't play.

If Harrison gets another personal foul, he could end up sitting for half a season.

 

I've seen a lot of big hits by Harrison, and I think this one has to be one of the least deserving of a suspension.

Didn't Tomlin meet with Goodell a couple weeks ago? It's like they didn't even talk about the "illegal" hits and just played Madden instead.

 

Not a fan of Deon, but he has it right.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/pittsburgh-st ... as-charged

 

Besides the fact that Sanders is a moron, he is apparently among the minority when it comes to the opinion that the hit was legal.

 

If Harrison gets suspended then Clevelands coach should be suspended as well for letting McCoy get back into the game. He doesn't recall playing the end of the game but he goes right back in after 3 plays? Should that not warrant a suspension of the coach/doctors or somebody within the organization at that point?
When Troy gets up dazed any more we all know for a fact this his day is done even if he can say the alphabet both forward and backward. I expect but do not agree that James will be suspended and will forfeit a game check which will be well over his total fines of $100,000 from last season.

 

The NFL is looking into the decision to let McCoy back in the game.

 

If Mean Joe, Jack Lambert and Mel Blount had played in today's NFL, none of them would be HOFers. They would all be sitting out half of most years serving suspensions for helmet to helmet hits!

 

It seems to me that Ryan Clark has more fines for H2H hits than Harrison over the past two seasons (I need to research this). Ryan Clark is a good guy, very humorous, very articulate, very well-liked. So let's face it: the suspension isn't about the hit; it's about Harrison and his image, which was worsened when that magazine interview came out last spring. You don't think the Commish's office was just WAITING for any excuse to stick it to Harrison?

 

You're 100% correct! I absolutely hate Goodell, the man is a greedy piece of !

I love football, but it's starting to get to the point where I don't watch as much as I used to because it's no longer enjoyable (I still watch my Steelers religiously). I'm so sick of watching games and every flipping play looking for the flag. The day Goodell gets hit by a bus will be a happy day.

 

I think Goodell is ruining this game but the fine money isn't going into his pocket.

 

It was an inadvertent helmet to helmet hit. He meant to hit him in the chest...

 

Half of the NFL during the 50's, 60's and 70's would not be playing week to week. They would all be suspended! Those guys played with heart, guts, and toughness that goes unmatched with the type of equipment they had and at a fraction of the pay. There also would have been no such thing as C'Mon Man! Football and Hockey are becoming way too politically correct. Go ahead and flame on me for how they are crippled and can't hardly remember their names all you want but they played for the love of the sport and that was their desire. Players today have just the same opportunity to walk away from the game if they are too fragile physically and mentally to play it. Afterall they are paid enormous amounts of money where they don't need 2nd jobs like back then.
I would love to see a young Butkus, Youngblood, Lambert or Ditka smack some of these soft players around then have Gooddell try and tell them they are too rough and tough for the sport. 5 yrs tops and it will be so bubble wrapped that I won't be watching it whatsoever. I doubt I'll be the only one not caring anymore. Already gave up my Direct TV NFL package and don't miss it a whole lot. You can thank Rog for that move.

 

You know, I rarely buy into the extra-curricular conspiracy theory BS that poisons the internet, but this one is believable. At this point I think Harrison receives punishment more for who he is than for what he does.

On a side note, I think a suspension could actually really help us out, A LOT, on our Super Bowl run. A playoff berth is a certainty, and it's likely that we'll be the #5 seed no matter how the rest of the regular season pans out. Say Harrison is awarded a 1-game suspension, missing the 9'er contest. We can win that game without him, PLUS we get the added bonus of playing the remainder of the season with a PO'ed Harrison and a Steeler's defense that feels as if they are targeted, with fresh evidence to boot.

While a suspension for doling out a hit that 99% of all other players do (exception of QB's, K's and P's) would be total BS, I would welcome one for the intangible benefit it would provide to the morale of the team.

 

I didn't mean to imply that it was. His altering the game of football is all about appealing to a broader fan base that isn't as accepting of the violent nature of football.

 

My thoughts exactly...anyone own a bus?? raying:

 

I buy this IF we beat the Niners. I'd buy it if we were playing the Rams this week instead of next. But this won't be a gimme. I want James playing this game, especially if Woodley's out.

 

A lot of penalties are unintentional but that doesn't mean players aren't held accountable.

 

The Steelers wanted to rub the Lombardi Trophy in roger's face LAST year because of this too. That... didn't work out so well.

Just sayin'.[/quote:3du2ofha]

True, but we got there. I'd be happy beating the AFC field for the chance to prove our mettle against Green Bay again. I'd take a Harrison suspension and a loss to the Niners if it means media downplay and another "us vs. the world" mentality for the playoffs. Getting to the Super Bowl is my goal, winning is something else and will take an offensive blitzkrieg to beat the Pack, which we probably aren't too capable of.

 

This also tells any QB in the league that they can scramble, tuck the ball and run, then release at the very last milli-second and take hit while braced for it and grab a 15 yard penalty. McCoy saw James coming loud and clear for a long time. He had guts to stay up instead of sliding, but it's not James fault that they consider McCoy "Little tiny McCoy". Basically what the league is saying is that James should have gone half the speed, kept his head up, watched what McCoy was going to do, and then flown by him magically.

 

I think you're absolutely right about Harrison getting fined because he's Harrison. In fact, I think the NFL would readily admit that as well.

I also think you're right about the morale point, though this is on the condition that Woodley's fit to play now...